Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life!” (John 14:6).

I’m clear on what Jesus meant by being the Way and the Life. But I struggle a bit over what Jesus meant by being the Truth.

To borrow a famous question by Pontus Pilate: “What is Truth?”. (John 18:38).

Similarly, what did Jesus mean when he said we should “worship in Spirit and in Truth” (John 4:24 KJV)?

Once again, I’m clear about what Jesus meant by worshiping in Spirit. But I struggle a bit over what Jesus meant by worshiping in Truth.

Many volumes of philosophy and theology have struggled over the existence and meaning of truth. So I am in good company in my struggles to understand what Jesus meant by the word “Truth”.

In my blog “The Way of Jesus: The Truth”, I shared some insights that help me in my struggle to understand the meaning of Truth.

In this blog, I quote some helpful insights about the Truth of Christmas. I first published these insights in 2004 in my book Visions of the Church (published together in one volume with my book Visions of America), at pages 167-168.

I wrote:

It would take an entire book to cover the Universal Church Councils adequately. Furthermore, one would need Ph.D. educations in philosophy, theology, ancient languages, Roman history, and Church history in order to fully understand the Universal Church Councils and their progressive decisions. Only then could someone fully grasp the relevant teachings of the Scriptures, the mysteries of the theologians, the quarrels of the philosophers, and the passions of the politicians.

For our purposes, it will suffice to think of the Nicene Creed (and additional statements of faith that other Universal Church Councils adopted) as affirming the Truth of Christmas and the Truth of Easter. Why? Because these early creeds often focused primarily on the nature and meaning of the Incarnation, the death, and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

What is the Truth of Christmas? What is the nature and meaning of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ?

What is the Truth of Easter? What is the nature and meaning of the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ?

It would take entire books to cover these truths that light the world—these visions of truth that light Humanity.

Here are some highlights.

The Truth of Christmas

The Truth of Christmas is that Jesus is both fully God and fully human. And although this is a mystery that seems impossible, it is nevertheless true.

How can it be? Because what is impossible with humans is possible with God (Luke 18:27).

The Truth of Christmas is that Jesus is God Incarnate.

One title that the Bible gives Jesus is “Immanuel,” a name that means “God with us” (Matthew 1:22-23).

Therefore, the God who spoke the heavens and the earth into being (Genesis Chapter One) is also the Jesus who walked among us blessing children, welcoming sinners, weeping with those who weep, [laughing with us,] and washing the feet of those in need.

The Truth of Christmas is that God cares about each one of us. God is not merely far away, tending the birth of new stars. God is near at hand, tending the birth of each baby.

God is not merely counting the millennia while Humanity gains technological prowess. God is counting the hairs on each person’s head.

God is not merely watching as the galaxy turns. God is watching each sparrow that falls.

The Truth of Christmas is that each person is eternally, infinitely important.

“[W]hoever welcomes a little child . . . welcomes [Jesus]” (Matthew 18:5).

There is a “kingdom prepared . . .  since the creation of the world” for those who:

—give a hungry person something to eat;

—give a thirsty person something to drink;

—give shelter to a stranger;

—give clothes to a needy person;

—look after a sick person; or

—visit a prisoner (Matthew 25:34-36).

“[E]ternal life” awaits the person who performs such tiny acts of kindness. But “eternal fire” and “eternal punishment” await each person who neglects to perform such tiny acts of kindness as unto the Lord Jesus himself (Matthew 25:41-43,46).

The Truth of Christmas is that our lives have meaning. There is a true union between spiritual values and physical reality. Faith, hope, and love exist in history, not merely in myth.

The Truth of Christmas is that God is a person.

That is why God could only be perfectly revealed to us by becoming flesh and dwelling among us as a person.

And that is why we can only know God perfectly by having a personal relationship with God, our Friend.

We cannot be a friend to a human merely by thinking thoughts, learning facts, and following rules.

We must laugh with our friend. We must weep with our friend. We must hope the best for our friend. We must hug our friend.

Similarly, we cannot be a friend to God merely by thinking thoughts, learning facts, and following rules.

Being a friend to God requires the engagement of our whole personality—our laughter, our tears, our hopes, our hugs.

By living among us, Jesus revealed that God is such a person—such a friend to each one of us.

Jesus laughed. Jesus wept (John 11:35). Jesus hoped (John 4:35). Jesus hugged (Matthew 8:1-3; Mark 10:16).

The Truth of Christmas—that Christ came in the flesh and God dwelt among us—brings peace on earth . . . and peace for all Humanity.

The Truth of Christmas is that the Way of Jesus is a Life full of laughter and tears, hopes and hugs.

QUESTIONS TO THINK ABOUT

When has God revealed himself to you as your friend by his laughter and tears, hopes and hugs? How? Why?

When have you revealed yourself to someone as their friend by your laughter and tears, hopes and hugs? How? Why?

When have you felt that you are eternally, infinitely important? How? Why?

When have you helped someone feel that they are eternally, infinitely important? How? Why?

When have you given: a hungry person something to eat; a thirsty person something to drink; shelter to a stranger; clothes to a needy person; looked after a sick person; or visited a prisoner? How? Why?

READ MORE

Please read my other blogs related to the Way of Jesus (and the blogs referenced by them): “The Way of Jesus: The Nones”, “The Way of Jesus: Following the Way of the Wisdom That Follows the Way of the LORD”, “The Way of Jesus: St. Francis of Assisi”, and “The Way of Jesus: The Truth”.

For more of my thoughts relating to the Doctrine of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), please read my blog “The Webb Space Telescope: Seeing Who-Was-Who Is-Who-Is-To-Come”, especially my discussion of mathematics to understand the difference between a person (Jesus) who existed “before” Creation (one divided by zero) and a person (such as an angel or a human) who was created after Creation (zero divided by one).

For more of my thoughts relating to the Doctrine of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), please read “Appendix 1: How To Apply the Word of God Authoritatively” and “Appendix 2: The Spirit in Which To Study and Apply the Bible” in my book The Promised Land, especially at pages 159-160; 178-184.

In this blog, I made some editorial modifications to what I first published in 2004.